A memorable November grouse hunt

I recently spent the afternoon hunting ruffed grouse with three young dogs.  It was a beautiful day—damp with temperature in the mid 30s and a light breeze from the east.  The cover is down now and, since the birds seem to prefer older timber, they are much easier to see. It’s a great time of the year to be out in the woods. Even I can hit one now.

I first hunted our 19-month-old pointer, Maggie, whose application is a 10.  She is so focused that it seems her body is being pulled through
the woods by her nose.  We hunted in mature aspen woods bordering a young aspen cut mixed with hazel and swamp grass.  Maggie’s first bird
began with an unproductive but ended with a stylish point in grass.  I walked in, flushed the grouse and missed with both barrels.  Sorry,
Maggie!   Her next point was off to my right, again in sparse grass.  As I walked in, two grouse lifted some distance from her.  I passed those
up and walked on.  Another bird flushed from in front of Maggie, but stayed too low to get a clear shot.  When I released her, she hunted for
50 feet and froze again.  Thinking another grouse, I rushed to flush the bird, only to watch a late migrating woodcock fly away.  Finally,
Maggie pointed into an area thick with hazel and fallen logs.  This red-phase bird gave me a clear shot and Maggie retrieved it to hand. Good girl, Maggie.

Next out of the truck was Moxie, our 2½-year-old setter.  Moxie is exciting to watch, both in motion and on point.  Everything she does is at Mach One and she always gives 100 percent.  She had been performing well this fall and several grouse has been shot over her points.  Lately, however, Moxie started crowding the birds and the birds flushed before she could get them pointed. This behavior is not uncommon in a dog her age and, in time, will pass. However, in these situations, I insist on her stopping to flush and correct her by standing her back where she should have pointed.  Moxie worked two separate running birds, and intentionally flushed them –which gave me excellent training opportunities.  Towards the end, the
bell stopped abruptly about 80 yards out, below a large enclosed deer stand.  As I approached, Moxie showed her characteristic, lofty pointing
style with poker straight tail and head tilted up at a 45-degree angle. I thought, “This is it, I’ll shoot this bird for her and we’ll be on our way.”  As I got closer I could see she was backing a life-size deer decoy.  At least she is an honest backer.

Last out was Oscar, our handsome 23-month-old setter.  Big, strong and powerful, Oscar started out a little wide and rough, but came across enough so I could tell he was hunting for birds.  It paid off at about 20 minutes when his bell stopped a short distance into a thick young aspen cut, about 60 yards out.  As soon as I got near, but not in shooting range, two grouse blew out wild.  Oscar stood his ground and when I released him, he relocated further into the cut and pointed again.  I flushed and flushed but couldn’t produce a bird, though I’m sure one ran out that way.  On the return loop to the truck, we hunted mature aspens, thick with hazel and with a slight roll to the ground.  Shortly, Oscar’s bell slowed, stopped, started up quickly and then went silent again.  I hustled through the downed timber and hazel.  I found him pointed on the top of a slight rise, looking down into a mess of tangled aspen.  He held staunchly while I worked my way around the fallen timber.  When I was about 10 yards in front of him, I spotted motion on the ground.  The grouse flushed right to left and I shot.  Oscar broke but went right to the bird and retrieved it to hand.  It was a gorgeous bronze male. Good boy, Oscar.